Arsenal have top-class players in almost every position on their pitch.

 

Mikel Arteta has built a terrific squad at the Emirates Stadium over the years, and that is why Arsenal are challenging for the Premier League and the Champions League.

 

 

Injuries have hurt Arsenal badly this season, which is why they are unlikely to win the domestic league title, but the European crown is still up for grabs.

 

Bukayo Saka is back from his injury now, which is a big boost, but the Arsenal number seven is apparently not the club’s Most Valuable Player.

 

Martin Odegaard tops Arsenal’s MVP rankings

Arsenal signed Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid in 2022.

 

The Norwegian, hailed as ‘fantastic‘ by Saka, spent the first six months at the club on loan, and that move was made permanent in the following summer for just £30 million.

 

Arsenal fans will all tell you that was a bargain, as Odegaard has mostly been terrific for the club.

 

Yes, the 26-year-old hasn’t been at his absolute best this season, but everyone saw how poor Arsenal were when he was out injured.

 

 

ESPN released their list of Arsenal’s Most Valuable Players (MVPs), and Odegaard, to many people’s surprise, was on top.

 

The Gunners skipper ranked ahead of Saka, Declan Rice and even William Saliba, which has raised a few eyebrows considering his form this season.

 

Check out the full list below!

 

Is Martin Odegaard really more valuable to Arsenal than Bukayo Saka?

Odegaard and Saka are definitely among Arsenal’s best players.

 

The two left-footers have produced several phenomenal performances in the famous red and white over the years, and they are both integral to the way Arteta wants his side to play.

 

But, is Odegaard really more valuable to Arsenal than Saka?

 

According to CIES Football Observatory’s estimated transfer values list released in January, Odegaard is worth €88.2 million (£73.5m).

 

Saka, on the other hand, was ranked as the sixth most valuable player in the world, with a transfer value of €157.3 million (£131m).

 

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Real Madrid have put Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori back on their radar ahead of the summer transfer window, according to reports.

 

The Gunners spent £42m on Calafiori last summer as the Italy international arrived from Serie A side Bologna, who are having another good season in the Italian top-flight.

 

Calafiori’s season has not gone quite how he anticipated with injuries halting his progress in Mikel Arteta’s side with the 22-year-old only making 11 Premier League starts this season.

 

The Arsenal defender has been in good form in recent times, although he picked up another injury on international duty with Italy last week.

 

And Spanish website Fichajes insists that Real Madrid ‘reactivates option’ to buy Arsenal defender Calafiori after already considering his signing in the past.

 

 

As the Spanish side ‘scour the market’ for defensive improvements, ‘one of the names that is gaining traction again’ is Calafiori with the Arsenal defender ‘once again sparking the interest of Real Madrid’s board’.

 

The report adds:

 

‘Arsenal, aware of their defender’s value, will not make his departure easy. His contract and the interest from other major clubs make the deal a financial challenge for Real Madrid. The club is not willing to pay any price and could consider other alternatives if negotiations become complicated. The priority is to find reinforcements without compromising financial planning for future investments.

 

‘The final decision will depend on several factors, including Arsenal’s willingness to negotiate and the player’s stance on the possibility of a move to the Santiago Bernabeu. Meanwhile, Real Madrid is closely monitoring his progress, assessing whether to take the final step to pursue his signing or pursue other options on the market.’

 

Arsenal icon Emmanuel Petit insists that, although he is a fan of Calafiori, the Gunners should have prioritised a signing of a striker over the Italy international.

 

Petit said in January: “They should have addressed that in the last transfer window. They should have bought a striker. I know that they extended the quality of the squad with a couple of players, but they added to positions they were well covered in. They signed Calafiori, but they already had two or three players that could play at left back.

 

“I’m a big fan of Calafiori but when you look at it, when you look at the young guy Lewis-Skelly, he’s doing so well, and Zinchenko is on the bench most of the time, so they had that part of the pitch covered.

 

“I can understand that when you play every three days and you have to compete in every competition, that you need squad depth, but the striker position was a priority. I didn’t know why Arsenal didn’t go for a proper striker last summer.”

 

David Ornstein has revealed that Arsenal appear to be in a “strong position” over the future of Max Dowman, but still face a fight to keep hold of him due to their rivals.

 

The youngster has been tipped as one of the brightest up-and-coming prospects coming out of the Hale End academy in the near future.

 

Dowman received praise from John Terry for a recent performance against the Chelsea under-18s, while he has featured in senior Arsenal training since he was 14 years old.

 

With such talent and potential, there has naturally been plenty of talk surrounding the future of the playmaker.

 

 

David Ornstein gives update on Max Dowman future at Arsenal

With Max Dowman catching the eye with his progression at Arsenal, there has been plenty of talk surrounding his future.

 

In the past 12 months, Arsenal have lost both Chido Obi and Ayden Heaven to Manchester United, with the pair now thriving with their rivals.

 

As Dowman starts to impress those outside of the Gunners, talk has continued over the difficulties Arsenal could find in keeping the 15-year-old for the future.

 

Transfer expert David Ornstein said on the youngster’s future at Arsenal in a recent Q and A for the Athletic: “I guess it’s down to Arsenal to do enough to convince him to sign, and obviously we might not know if they’ve succeeded in that until late 2025 or early 2026.

 

 

“Given he has come through there and is an Arsenal fan, they appear to be in a strong position. But considering most big clubs would love to sign him, Arsenal will need to prove their pathway and plans are right for him.

 

“He, in turn, must continue to excel as well. There’s been no suggestion that he’ll get special dispensation to play for the first team this campaign, so unless that changes in these final months the focus will be on continuing to integrate into the senior set-up in pre-season and shining in 2025-26.

 

“The fact Arsenal took him Dubai recently indicates how highly Mikel Arteta thinks of Dowman so let’s see how the next weeks go (he has big games for England this week and next) and also show respect to the development of a precocious young talent for club and country.”

 

With all of that still ahead of him, Dowman still has to progress through the ranks to prove his ability and take the step up to the next level.

 

When can Max Dowman sign a new contract at Arsenal?

As it stands, Dowman is not in a position where he can sign a contract at Arsenal due to registration and safeguarding rules.

 

The youngster will be able to change that in over one year’s time though.

 

Dowman cannot sign a professional contract or scholarship deal until he turns 17 years old, which will be December 31, 2026.

 

He is capable of agreeing terms of both in advance, which could change things, but as it stands there is still a long pathway ahead of him.

 

Plenty can change in the next year or so, which could make a difference to the Hale End gem and his future.

 

 

Ask an Arsenal fan what part of the team needs reinforcing in the summer, and we’re sure they’d say centre-forward.

 

Go a step further and ask them the striker they want to come in, and Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak will almost certainly be one of the first names mentioned.

 

However, while the Swede would be an incredible addition to Mikel Arteta’s side, he’s not the only player the North Londoners should and could sign from the Magpies.

 

Bruno Guimaraes celebrates for Newcastle

According to reports from earlier this month, the Gunners are once again interested in the immensely talented Bruno Guimarães, although, as incredible as the Brazilian is, he’s still worth millions less than one of Arsenal’s leading stars.

 

Why Arsenal would want to sign Guimarães

So, there are a few reasons why Arsenal would want to splash the cash on Guimarães in the summer, with the first being that he can play in two positions to a brilliant standard.

 

bruno-guimaraes-newcastle-united-premier-league

For example, while he has played in four positions across his career, he has spent the majority of his time playing either as a defensive midfielder or a central midfielder, making 181 appearances as the former and 76 as the latter.

 

On top of his positional versatility – a trait we know Arteta values – the Brazilian international is a genuine threat on the attack, as in just 37 appearances this season, totalling 3006 minutes, he has scored three goals and provided eight assists.

 

That means the former Lyon star is averaging a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or every 273.27 minutes, despite making most of his appearances at the base of midfield this year.

 

Finally, the “world-class” 27-year-old, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has bags and bags of experience under his belt, winning 32 caps for the Seleção and captaining the Toon to their first trophy in 70 years, which might be the sort of thing to help the Gunners get over the line next year.

 

Bruno-Guimaraes-2

In all, Guimarães is one of the most exciting midfielders in the Premier League and more than deserving of his €65.2m valuation – £55m – from the CIES Football Observatory, although that is substantially lower than one of Arsenal’s midfield stars.

 

The Arsenal star worth millions more than Guimarães

While this season hasn’t entirely gone according to plan, Arsenal are blessed with several top-class midfielders, from club captain Martin Odegaard to Thomas Partey and the vastly experienced Jorginho.

 

Arsenal-Lewis-Skelly-Raya-Saka-Merino-Rice-Partey-Kiwior-Saliba-Martinelli-Jesus

However, in this instance, we are talking about Declan Rice, who, according to the CIES Football Observatory, is worth €108.3m, which is about £91m, or £36m more than Guimarães.

 

Now, that might seem like a lot considering the Brazilian’s sensational ability, but Rice is no slouch himself, and based on his performances for the Gunners, is more than worth his valuation.

 

Arsenal’s Declan Rice celebrates after the match

For example, the former West Ham United captain has proven to be a versatile midfielder, making 48 appearances as the left-eight and 42 as the team’s six, doing brilliantly in both roles.

 

Moreover, he’s also become a more reliable attacking outlet as well, racking up an impressive tally of 12 goals and 18 assists in 91 appearances for the North Londoners, totalling 7380 minutes.

 

Rice’s Arsenal record

 

Appearances

 

91

 

Starts

 

84

 

Minutes

 

7380′

 

Goals

 

12

 

Assists

 

18

 

Goal Involvements per Match

 

0.32

 

Minutes per Goal Involvement

 

 

 

That means the “world-class” Englishman, as dubbed by journalist Tom Marshall-Bailey, has averaged a goal involvement every 3.03 games, or every 246 minutes, since moving to the Emirates.

 

Finally, his underlying numbers are stellar, as, according to FBref, he sits in the top 4% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for carries into the penalty area, the top 5% for progressive carries, the top 6% for assists, the top 12% for passes blocked and more, all per 90.

 

Ultimately, signing Guimarães would undoubtedly make Arsenal a far stronger team, but he would have to hit the ground running to see his valuation catch up with Rice’s.

 

 

 

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has said he is hopeful that Bukayo Saka will make a return from his hamstring injury soon.

 

The winger has been out of action since mid-December, picking up an issue in the middle of a clash with Crystal Palace.

 

It was revealed that Bukayo Saka had torn his hamstring, with surgery required to help the star make a full recovery.

 

A long lay-off has followed, though recent images showed Saka returning to training, albeit not in a full capacity yet.

 

While Gabriel Martinelli recently returned from injury, there will need to be a slightly longer wait for Arsenal to see his teammate back in action.

 

With an international break coming up, there is growing hope that Bukayo Saka could be back after the two-week spell off.

 

Martin Odegaard gives update on Arsenal star Bukayo Saka’s injury

With Bukayo Saka still facing a spell on the sidelines, fans are eagerly awaiting when he could return to the team.

 

The Arsenal academy graduate has long been a star of the team, pushing them on when all else feels as though it is going against them.

 

 

Club captain Martin Odegaard has given a positive update in the Arsenal programme, giving some insight into the training return for the star.

 

He said: “It was great to see Gabi [Gabriel Martinelli] come back from injury last week against Man United, and hopefully Bukayo won’t be too far behind him.

 

“He’s around us every day at Sobha, and he’s so determined to come back as soon as he can. I know what it’s like when you feel you are so close to being able to play, but not quite there, you feel you are ready.

 

“But he just has to make sure he takes his time and is fully sharp when he does get back out on the pitch. He’s getting closer, and we want to see him back as well of course because losing his qualities is a big miss for any team.”

 

It shows that Saka is certainly able to impact the group by being around them for most of the training sessions, even if he isn’t fully involved yet.

 

The news of him getting closer is good, though Arsenal will be hoping it’s one that can see him return in the weeks ahead.

 

When could Bukayo Saka return from injury for Arsenal?

As it stands, Bukayo Saka isn’t expected to return to the first-team reckoning until after the international break, meaning he will miss out against Chelsea.

 

Despite that, the break is longer than two weeks, with a return to action coming on the first of April instead of March.

 

That could give some extra time for Saka to feature against Fulham in the first Premier League match back from the break.

 

 

 

The Arsenal academy has seen plenty of stars graduate to play at the very top level, with some impressive careers that followed.

 

Some stuck around to feature for the first team, while others left to venture away from the Emirates Stadium to play elsewhere.

 

 

Their careers after leaving Arsenal have often taken many twists and turns, though they will always proudly remain a part of the Hale End academy system.

 

While many have seen sudden changes in their careers, one former star has taken a bold new leap elsewhere.

 

Former Arsenal star Henri Lansbury called up to Baller League

Henri Lansbury was one of those to come through the Arsenal academy, featuring for the under-18s and under-21s.

 

The midfielder had loan spells at Scunthorpe, Watford, Norwich and West Ham over a four-year stay in the first-team setup.

 

Lansbury made eight appearances for Arsenal, with Arsene Wenger backing him to be a top player during his time at the club.

 

In 2012 he joined Nottingham Forest before switching to Aston Villa five years later, with other short stays in the EFL with Bristol City and Luton Town following.

 

 

In the end, Lansbury retired in 2023, calling time on his professional playing career, though there was a recent twist.

 

The midfielder is one of several ex-professionals who have signed up to the new Baller League, a six-a-side football tournament.

 

Teams will be managed by the likes of Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Micah Richards, Luis Figo, John Terry, Ian Wright and more.

 

Lansbury is now one of several former professionals who will take a new twist on football with the Baller League.

 

He joins the VZN team, managed by content creator Tobi Brown.

 

What is the Baller League and how does it work?

The Baller League is a six-a-side football tournament with 12-player squads and 15-minute halves for each team.

 

12 teams will all be looking to win the competition, though there is a slight twist to how the rules work.

 

In the final three minutes of each half, teams are reduced to three players, while the goalkeepers aren’t allowed to use their hands and long-range goals are worth double.

 

It adds a tense twist to the usual rules, opening up the game for more chaos in those final moments.

 

Eindhoven has been packed with carnival-goers in recent days but on Tuesday it was Arsenal enjoying their own party in the city, getting over their goalscoring crisis and setting a Champions League record in the process.

 

Mikel Arteta’s side became the first team in Champions League history to score seven goals away from home in the knockout stages of the competition as they romped to a 7-1 win over PSV Eindhoven.

 

It was the most goals the Gunners have scored in a single game since beating Newcastle 7-3 in the Premier League 13 years ago.

 

The Arsenal manager said the win had given his players “joy and confidence and belief”, but was not getting carried away when questions were put to him about the records that his team had broken.

 

“For sure, it’s something that hasn’t been done, so great to be part of that,” Arteta said. “But as a team we want to achieve many other things that are far more important than that.

 

“The happiest thing is we are in a very strong position to go to the next round, which is where we want to be.

 

“But there’s still a job to do in London in a week’s time.”

 

After failing to score in their past two games, a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest and 1-0 defeat by West Ham, Arteta may not have seen a victory like this coming.

 

“This will give them great confidence for the rest of the season. Right from the start Arsenal had control of the game,” said Chris Sutton on BBC Radio 5 Live.

 

“Arsenal were ruthless with their finishing, some of the combination play in the final third was sensational.

 

“Martin Odegaard looked back to his best. To a man they were really strong and that centre-back pairing [Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba] is phenomenal.

 

“Arsenal will take some stopping in this competition.”

 

England and Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was one of the players singled out for his performance during the game and said that the Gunners have got the reward for their hard work in recent weeks.

 

Rice, who had a goal ruled out for offside, said Arsenal were “fluid” and possessed the “enthusiasm, drive and hunger” that the knockout stages demand.

 

“But we’ve been playing like this all season,” he added. “We feel we’ve been playing well as a team. Sometimes we score five, sometimes two, sometimes we don’t score but [on Tuesday] we did well. It all clicked.”

 

Arsenal’s lack of a recognised striker has been well documented, with Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz both injured. But six different players contributed to the rout on Tuesday – Odegaard scored twice, along with goals for Jurrien Timber, Mikel Merino, Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori.

 

The emphatic win means that Arsenal can start planning for a trip to Madrid, as they are set to take on the winner of the tie between Real and Atletico, which finished 2-1 to Carlo Ancelotti’s side. Next week’s second leg takes place at Atletico.

 

Nwaneri shows why he’s earned Arteta’s trust

Ethan Nwaneri celebrates scoring for Arsenal against PSV Eindhoven

Image caption, Ethan Nwaneri scored his eighth goal of the season

Arsenal’s excellent 17-year-old Nwaneri again showed why there is so much hype and excitement about his future in the game.

 

The academy graduate has been given the task of filling in for Bukayo Saka on the right hand side of Arsenal’s attack while the England international is out injured. The teenager has repaid that faith in him with eight goals in 28 games in all competitions.

 

That goal return puts him alongside some of England’s most iconic young players.

 

Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney scored nine goals each in all competitions when they were aged 17 or younger and Nwaneri now has 16 days before his 18th birthday to try to match or beat that record.

 

“I don’t think that he needs any pushing. You see every time what the intention is,” Arteta said. “If it comes, it comes and it’s great.

 

“I’m really impressed with the way he behaved and the way he played. It’s about consistency and now doing it again three days later in another big stadium.”

 

Nwaneri also became the third youngest player to score a goal in a knockout stage match in the Champions League after Bojan in April 2008 (17 and 217 days) and Jude Bellingham in April 2021 (17 and 289 days).

 

“He’s 17 years old and he’s on the biggest stage,” Rice said.

 

“We’ve taken [the youngsters] under our wing and they deserve to be playing. You should see them train they way they have no fear and want to perform.

 

“Even if Saka was here Ethan would be still getting minutes because he’s that good and works so hard in training. We have so many top young players.”

 

Nwaneri was joined in the starting XI by his team-mate from the academy Myles Lewis-Skelly and the 18-year-old also impressed despite being withdrawn in the first half to avoid him getting sent off.

 

Lewis-Skelly, who had been booked earlier, put in a late tackle on Richard Ledezma and although he was unpunished, Arteta substituted him moments later.

 

“They play like they have been here for many years,” captain Odegaard said.

 

“So much quality and confidence, they’re ready for it. I’m not worried about them, we enjoy having them in the team and they have a great attitude.”

 

Odegaard, who himself started playing senior football at 15 years old, believes that Lewis-Skelly can use his early withdrawal as a learning experience.

 

“He took that really well,” he added. “He knew it was a tricky position to be in. He was on a yellow and had a tough challenge too. He took it well and we’re all there to support and I’m sure he will learn from that too.”

 

Arsenal caught up in PSV Champions League mind games as Thomas Partey transfer update given

Jurrien Timber – Leaping high to give Arsenal the lead inside the first 20 minutes of the match, excellent desire and height on the jump before heading past Walter Benitez. 9

 

William Saliba – His talents were rarely called into action on the night as he managed the likes of Lang well, keeping his danger to a distance and distributing comfortably. There was a strong moment in the second half where he repelled the efforts of the PSV left. 7

 

Gabriel Magalhaes – Big block in the second half to deny former Tottenham forward Ivan Perisic a goal and missed the chance to score himself in the second period. 8

 

Myles Lewis-Skelly – Back into the team and back amongst the goal contributions with the perfect assist to his Hale End teammate Ethan Nwaneri. However, after wrongly receiving the first yellow, how the 18-year-old avoids yet another red card I will never know – he should not have made it to the half-time whistle and he didn’t but only because he was taken off by Arteta. 6

 

Thomas Partey – Another moment of carelessness from the Ghanaian who felt the need to bring Luuk de Jong down in the box, gifting the home side a penalty. 5

 

Declan Rice – A foot prevented Declan Rice’s outside-of-the-box strike from giving the Gunners the lead. He would, however, redeem that with a gorgeous cross on his left foot to Timber, the perfect height, weight and dip on the ball. An excellent overall display and now back to more of what Arsenal fans would be expecting. 8

 

Martin Odegaard – Denied the chance of a penalty kick in the first half after some good movement into the box, VAR checked and cleared, but it was up for debate. He scored his second with a powerful strike from outside the box before slipping in Calafiori to score the seventh Arsenal goal of the night. 9

 

Ethan Nwaneri – A massive goal for the 17-year-old on the biggest of stages, finishing beautifully with a first-time touch off his former youth teammate’s cross. He had other chances in the game and was a constant threat throughout. 8

 

Leandro Trossard – A great pass into Myles Lewis-Skelly for the second goal, threading the needle to the full-back, who set up Nwaneri. He would then turn scorer in the second half, a mesmeric backheel nutmeg to Calafiori before getting the ball back and chipping over Benitez. 8

 

Mikel Merino – While the goal was something of a gift, Mikel Merino certainly finished with the comfortableness of a seasoned centre-forward. Outside of the goal, he was not involved in too many other major moments. 6

 

 

Riccardo Calafiori – Replacing Myles Lewis-Skelly before the half-time whistle. His impact came early at the start of the second half, playing through Leandro Trossard to score the Gunners’ fifth of the night. He then ran through at the top of the field, like a striker, and slotted in like he’d been doing it for years. 8

 

Raheem Sterling – Came on, lost the ball twice and did little else. 4

 

 

 

Arsenal caught up in PSV Champions League mind games as Thomas Partey transfer update given